MOULTRIE, Ga. — On Thursday, April 28, Southern Regional Technical College held a pinning ceremony during which 26 Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) students received their nursing pins. 

The ceremony commemorates the students’ successful completion of their nursing coursework and clinical rotations, according to a press release from SRTC. This class of nursing students are eligible to participate in SRTC’s formal graduation ceremony on July 28 and will officially be Registered Nurses (RN) pending the passage of their board exams. 

The students receiving pins were: Mercedes Curles of Adel, Charlene Porter of Albany, Taneisha Kelly of Bainbridge, Madisyn Fussell of Cairo, Keyonna Sanon of Columbus, Ashley Thomas of Doerun, Lorraine West of Meigs, Amanda French and Ryan Trevino of Moultrie, Casidy Walden of Norman Park, Sam Newberry and Cole Redd of Ochlocknee, Julia McCarty of Sale City, Lyla Griffin of Sumner,  Monique Adams, Kristian Bienes, Tameah Gaines, Paya George, Rachel Widener, Ashley Williams and Gwenetta Wright of Thomasville, Renee Drawdy of Ty Ty, Kyle Conger, Sayward Scott and Jeylen Sutton of Valdosta, and Brooke Rehberg of Whigham.

During the pinning ceremony, which symbolizes the rite of passage into the nursing profession, students received a pin and a small lamp. The pin reminds students of their purpose to serve the sick and infirmed. The lamp serves as a tribute to Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern-day nursing. In the nineteenth century, Nightingale was known as the “Lady with the Lamp,” tending to the sick while carrying a lamp to light the way. 

At the ceremony, faculty members recognized several students for exceptional achievement during their time in the nursing program. Those awards and their recipients are as follows: 

Ashley Thomas and Lorraine West shared the Highest Exit HESI Score Award. 

The Clinical Excellence Award was chosen by their peers and given to the student who consistently demonstrated excellent bedside manner, great nursing skills, and a willingness to help classmates whenever asked. The Clinical Excellence Award recipients were Ashley Williams, Renee Drawdy, and Rachel Widener. 

Renee Drawdy also received the Southwell Medical Center Leadership Award. 

Kristian Bienes earned the Archbold Leadership Award. 

Finally, the Nightingale Award recognized the accomplishments of Ashley Thomas and Paya George.  This award is given to an outstanding student who exemplifies the characteristics essential to the caring nature of nursing. These students have a positive attitude, reflects the college’s work ethic standards, and consistently demonstrates gentleness, kindness, professionalism, and dedication.

“These graduates have worked very hard to complete the ASN program.  At the beginning of their college career of becoming a nurse, these students had to learn to keep themselves safe from COVID 19 while attending in person clinical.  I am so proud of each of them for their determination of becoming an RN. The local hospitals are going to be lucky to have these graduates join their team,” commented Terry Harper, Associate of Science Nursing faculty.

The Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program is designed to prepare students as entry-level practitioners to provide safe, effective nursing care and promote healthy transitions for diverse clients in a variety of settings. This program develops critical thinking, integrates accumulated knowledge from nursing, the sciences and humanities, and emphasizes the values of caring, accountability, responsibility and professional ethics. The SRTC ASN program has been granted approval by the Georgia Board of Nursing and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).